Nature Note: A Naturalist's Travels Through Nature

Something has been lurking in North Jersey this winter. An unfamiliar species with dark plumage, silver wings, and pink feet! For two days in a row, I got to see this European species in all its rare, code 4 glory. In case you're confused, a Pink-footed Goose ( Anser brachyrhynchus ) (of Big Year movie fame) has been spotted wintering in the fields and marshes of North Jersey. This ABA code 4 (the American Birding Association code 4 designation indicates a casual visitor to a given region meaning that while they've occurred in the general area before, but the likelihood of it occurring year after year is extremely unlikely) was an excellent addition to my life list. The inclusion of a quality zoom on a good camera made documenting this species a delight! After reading reports from a day earlier (March 21st), I decided to check out Assiscong Marsh in Flemington, New Jersey where it had been spotted most recently. It's always a rush to see such rarities in the wild, bu...

What are you doing in New Jersey? When it comes to rarities, nothing is better than seeing a bird so out of place, it boggles the mind on how on earth it got there. That's how I felt as I spied a Pacific Loon ( Gavia pacifica ) sitting in the middle of an industrial park pond in Morris Plains, NJ at around noon today. I would've been even more pleased if I had taken pictures of it as well (It was literally 50 feet away!! -_-;;), but I'm happy to have added another lifer to my list. As I said in my posting about finding my first wild Canvasback ( Aythya valisaneria ) in Carver, MA, I quoted Sandy Komito's reaction to finding the Pink-footed Goose ( Anser brachyrhynchos ) he'd worked so long and hard to find. It was over so quickly that he literally felt guilty about how hard he'd worked to find it. Needless to say, like Komito, it was an easy bird to find. It had stayed in the same area for about a week and seemed content on moving back and forth from the i...

While I haven't gotten out much this week due to my schedule, I just wanted to take the time to share some great photos I've taken recently around the Watershed Preserve in Pennington, NJ. So far I've listed 40 species where I'm staying and I'm am so excited for spring migration! I hope you enjoy what the wilds of New Jersey have to offer. An inquisitive Carolina Chickadee ( Poecile carolinensis ) peeks upward. A male Red-bellied Woodpecker ( Melanerpes carolinus ) in mid hop as it scales a snag. A Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler ( Setophaga coronata ) skips around the branches looking for running sap and fleeting insects A female Downy Woodpecker ( Picoides pubescens ) drinks sap drizzling from a tree trunk. Bluebird houses abound on the property. They might be used by docile bluebirds and Tree Swallows ( Tachycineta bicolor ), or by the more aggressive House Wren ( Troglodytes aedon ). Canada Geese ( Branta canadensis ) and Ring-...

So during my first week in New Jersey I've learned two things: 1. Living on a wildlife preserve is the most amazing thing I think I've ever done in my life (which will lead to an important announcement at the end of this blog post) and 2. The main species of chickadee here are Carolina Chickadees ( Poecile carolinensis ). Now I've seen Carolinas before. Last year when I visited Assateague National Seashore (my girlfriend worked there as a plover steward), I heard their higher pitched and almost raspy calls in the trees above. Now that I'm in New Jersey however, I have hit upon an interesting problem. In New Jersey, both Carolina and Black-capped Chickadees ( P. atricapillus ) exist practically side by side, with Black-caps occupying the more northerly areas, while Carolinas are more central to southerly. Now, one would think that such a difference in range would put them on either side of a well defined line, but as any good birder will note, where their ranges seem t...

Hello all! Just a quick update before I do a more fully fledged one later in the week. I have arrived safely in New Jersey and am so excited to start my new job here. So far, I've seen a lot of Turkey Vultures ( Cathartes aura ), a few Eastern Bluebirds ( Sialia sialis ), and a Yellow-rumped Warbler ( Setophaga coronata ). When I get a better feel for the area, then I'll give a fuller report and that will also allow me to use my new camera (better zoom, clearer images, and more features for me to figure out!) Until then, I look forward to showing y'all the wilds of New Jersey. Have a great week and as always, happy birding ^_^.